


The Smallest Swim Trunks Known to Man

by apollojolras, Red_City



Series: You're the One That I Want [1]
Category: Castle
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - High School, Big Sisters, Cute, Ex Boyfriend, Ex Girlfriend, Feels, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grease - Freeform, High School, Love, M/M, Nervous, Summer, Teenagers, beach, friendships, push me up against a car, rysposito
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-27 04:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apollojolras/pseuds/apollojolras, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_City/pseuds/Red_City
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kevin and Javier meet by chance, and it accidentally turns into something neither expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Handshake

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is written by people who know next to nothing about Spanish grammar, and have heavily employed Google Translate. If you know that there's a mistake, please tell us so we can be accurate!  
> Thanks!
> 
> ~ANNOUNCEMENT!!~  
> We are releasing a version of this fic on Google Drive with the thrilling experience of the Author Commentary, for those who are interested in reading it. Please look at [this document](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1D9kZYck3YdZvrtsj7zGalpTUdKJx21bBZ1Tf0Zo6jmQ/viewform?usp=send_form) for more information! Thanks!

"No, I can't come on Friday. My cousin - you know, from Ireland...yes, THAT one...yeah he's staying at my house, and I have to babysit him for the whole summer."

Jenny squeaked as a pillow smacked her in the face, causing her to drop her phone.

"Kevin!" She yelled, and scrambled to find her fallen phone, as he laughed at her. "Sorry, Gina, Kevin threw a pillow at me. Yeah. Okay. I'll talk to you later." Jenny ended the call and turned to her cousin, on the floor across from her. They were in her bedroom, avoiding their parents who were downstairs, being really boring and discussing parent things.

"So, tell me what's new? Have you had any girlfriends?"

"Jenny," Kevin said, rolling onto his side to look at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Fine," she sighed. "Have you had and boyfriends?"

"Yes. Loads. Dozens. Hundreds!"

"Shut up you have not," she said, throwing the pillow back down at him.

"No, I have not," he agreed, the words muffled through the cotton.

"But?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

"But what?"

"But what do you mean, but what? But what booooyfriends. You've had to have had at least one." Jenny pouted.

"Yeah, okay, fine. I had one."

There was a pause, but only for a second.

"AND??" Jenny asked, nearly falling off the bed.

Kevin sighed, avoiding her eyes. "And nothing, Jenny, I don't want to talk about it."

"Kevin, what happened? Oh my God was he an asshole??" Jenny crawled over to Kevin, concern covering her words.

"Yes, he was an asshole. Nothing, don't worry about it. Just - can we talk about something else please?"

"Fine." Jenny said. They sat in silence for a moment, and Jenny watched Kevin eyes look everywhere but at her. She grinned and stood up.. "Come on, get up. We're going."

"Going where?" Kevin asked, not moving.

"You're taking me to the beach, you beautiful Irish leprechaun."

"Jenny!"

"Sorry-not-sorry!" She sang, as she danced out the doorway. Kevin glared after her, and then hauled himself up. "I don't wanna go..." he said to himself, but followed her out the door anyway.

 

\----------

 

Javier cursed under his breath, trying not to drop the towels as the cooler Carla had insisted on taking with them almost slipped out of his fingers. He almost hit himself in the face with the giant umbrella he had tucked under his arm, and the car keys were clenched in his teeth.

"Javier! Don't forget the umbrella!" Carla called, already half way down the beach.

 _"Cogerme,_ I've already GOT the damn umbrella, ungrateful little..." Javier stopped himself before he let that one slip. Carla may be already down the beach, but she had a mean ear and wouldn't hesitate to slap him upside the head for calling her anything but Sis.

He was only at the beach because she had dragged him there - and he knew full well he was only there to carry all of her stuff, while she checked out all the shirtless boys. All Javier wanted to do with his Saturday was take a nap. It was a week into June, and he had three long months before he had to go back to finish his last year of high school. Carla was already a sophomore in college, and how Javier envied her. _What I would give to get out of this town,_ he thought bitterly.

After he had set up the umbrella to Carla's satisfaction, he spread out his own towel in a patch of sunlight, far from the water. Slipping off his shirt, he wiggled around in the sand for a moment and put his arms behind his head. He closed his eyes and let the warmth of the sun sink into his skin.

 

\------------------------

 

"Jenny, these do NOT fit me."

"They so do!"

"They are too small!"

"Just let me see!"

Jenny flung open the door, not letting Kevin reply, or cover up. She had made him show her all of his swim trunks in a horrible and embarrassing fashion montage, and after she had declared all of them inadequate, she scoured the house for her brother's old ones, and that's how he found himself in the guest bathroom, trying on these ridiculously tiny black shorts.

"What the hell are you TALKING about these are PERFECT Kevin!"

"Are you serious? They're like, way tight!"

Jenny gave him an appraising look. "No, honey, they are perrrrr-fect. You look fantabulous." She steps around him, going in a full circle. "And ooh, do they do great things for your ass."

"Jenny, we are NOT going to the beach so people can check out my ass."

"Why else would we go to the beach, Kevin Ryan! Of COURSE that's why we're going!"

Kevin crossed his arms. "No way. I am not going in these shorts."

Jenny got a dangerous look in her eyes, and before Kevin could react, grabbed his clothes and ran out the door, laughing wildly. "Yes you aaaare!"

"Jenny! Get back here!" Kevin shouted as he ran after her. He skidded to a stop in front of her bedroom, nearly knocking her over when she quickly stepped into the hallway and slammed her door shut. He groaned as he realized his clothes were locked in her room, and allowed himself to be herded out the front door. The front door locked behind him, and he sighed at the sight of the already packed car. (Jenny was extra prepared.) That is how he found himself barely clothed in the smallest swim trunks known to man, trapped in a car with his insane cousin, and heading for the beach. 

 

\-------------------

 

Javier sat back down on his towel for the fourth time, grumbling under his breath.

"I am serious, Carla, that is the last time I am getting up for you today." He had already gotten her some water, helped her put on suntan lotion, and moved the umbrella. All he wanted to do was sleep in the sun.

"Fine, Javi, ay ay ay," Carla said, waving a hand in his direction. He scoffed, and laid down again. He adjusted until he was comfortable, and closed his eyes, relaxing into the warmth. He tuned out the noises from people on the beach, and the screeches from the seagulls in the sky. He concentrated on the sound of the ocean, rushing in and out, in and out. He loosened his muscles until he felt like liquid. Javier felt himself drifting off, and he was almost asleep -

\- when someone tripped over him and landed on his chest.

\--------------------

 

"You can be a bitch sometimes, did you know that?" Kevin asked, stepping out of the car.

"Why Mr. Ryan, I never!" Jenny said, feigning shock. "Just shut up and help me carry all of this."

"Why should I?” He asked her, but lifted the towels out of the trunk anyway. She still was holding onto a bag that held changes of clothes for both of them, keeping him from covering up what she kept referring to as his "all of this," whatever that meant. He followed her down to the beach, holding the towels over his - area.

They picked a spot in the sun, not too close to the water, and Kevin grinned when Jenny dropped the bag of clothes onto the beach. He jumped over their things and grabbed her, picking her up and cackling as she squealed at him to put her down, fists pounding on his shoulders. He ran over to the water, and she screamed when she realized what he was doing. They both hit the waves with a big splash, and Jenny was mortified that he had gotten her hair wet. Kevin just laughed at her.

"Serves you right! Karma's a bitch, just like you!" Kevin shouted at her, running back up the beach.

"I'm going to MURDER you, you ass!" She screamed at him, chasing him through the sand. She leapt at him, and they ended up in a tangle of limbs on their towels, giggling. They eventually decided on a truce, and Jenny rooted through the bag for her Frisbee.

"Ah, Jenny, come on. No."

"Why not, Kev? I love Frisbee. You love me. Look at that."

"No! You dragged me here, in these stupid shorts, and I don't want to run around in them for all the world to see - "

"Too bad," she said, and threw the Frisbee at his face. He caught out of reflex, and rolled his eyes.

Jenny stood, and jogged backwards, making grabby hands at him. Still annoyed, he contemplated not playing with her, but he finally stood and gave in to her puppy-dog eyes. He tossed the disc back to her, and she caught it. When she returned it to him, the wind caught the Frisbee and it flew too high, making him run across the beach to catch it. He was looking up over his shoulder, not paying attention -

\- when he tripped over someone and landed directly on top of them.

 

\-----------

 

"Are you FUCKING serious right now! What the hell!" Javier shouted, his eyes snapping open. His breath, sucked in to keep shouting, caught in his throat when his eyes met the ones right in front of his face.

_Blue._

That's all he could manage to think.

Kevin was startled, at first, when the person underneath him started shouting, but now he was trapped in the gaze of the big dark eyes of the guy - the really hot guy - that he had tripped over. And was now laying right on top of. Neither of them moved, Kevin's hands on either side of the guy’s head, holding himself up. Kevin didn't realize the other guy had moved until hands lightly wrapped around his wrists, and he shivered at the touch of warm calloused fingers. It was like he had forgotten how to breathe, and just as he opened his mouth to say something-

"OH MY GOD KEVIN! KEVIN ARE YOU OKAY???"

Javier looked up at the sound of the girl’s voice.

"Fuck," Blue Eyes said, and scrambled to get up. Javier was shocked by the sudden chill he felt when the other guy got off of him.

"I am so sorry, God, I was not looking where I was going, sorry sorry," the guy said, and brushed the sand off of his very tiny, very fitting black swimsuit.

Shit, Javier thought. Shitshitshit. He was trying very hard not to look - look anywhere but there but THERE was all he wanted to look.

"Are you okay, man?" The guy asked Javier, and his girlfriend - of course he had a girlfriend - came up next to him.

"Javier! Oh my God!" She said, and he recognized her.

"Oh, hey, uh, Jenny, right?" He said, standing up as well. "Sorry about your - boyfriend, he uh,"

"It was totally my fault, I wasn't looking. Sorry," Blue Eyes said, "Wait, what?"

"Oh, sorry, Javier, this is Kevin Ryan. He's visiting from Ireland. And he's my cousin, NOT not not my boyfriend." Jenny smiled.

"Thanks," Kevin said sarcastically, glaring at Jenny. "Yeah, hi, Kevin. You're Javier?" He stuck out a hand to shake, definitely NOT grazing his eyes over the delicious shoulders of the hot guy -- Javier, apparently.

"Yeah, Javier Esposito." Javier took the hand and shook, NOT liking the feeling of the soft skin against his and still definitely not looking at those damn shorts.

"Javier! What the hell, _hermano?_ " Carla asked, coming up behind him. "What happened?"

"Nothin, Carla, this is Jenny, I went to middle school with her, and this is her cousin, Kevin. This is my sister, Carla." Javier explained, everyone nodding at each other.

Carla looked at the way her brother was looking at this Jenny's cousin, and it was a good kind of look, so she made a decision to help him out.

"Jenny, _mi querida_ , I need some back-up. Javier is useless, I need some _chica_ power. You see those surfer boys over there?" Carla asked, coming up to the younger girl and linking their arms together.

"Uh, Yeah," Jenny said, a little nervous, but she grinned at Kevin, who wasn't paying any attention to her.

"Well they are _muy deliciouso_ and mama needs some lovin’. Let's go," Carla said, and the two girls walked off together.

"That was fast," Kevin said, almost to himself.

"Yeah, you never know with chicks," Javier said, and Kevin looked up, startled.

They looked at each other for a moment, then looked away, embarrassed. There was an awkward silence, before Javier cleared his throat.

"Hi," Javier said, and Kevin smiled. Simple, he liked that.

"Hey," Kevin said, and picked up the Frisbee. "My partner left, wanna fill in?"

Javier thought for a moment. Hell yes, he thought, but didn't want to seem so desperate.

"Sure," he replied casually, and they threw it back and forth for the next hour, not talking, just looking. And looking. And trying not to look too close.

Carla eventually yelled for Javier to take her home, and they parted ways. They didn't say goodbye, they only waved.

\----------------

Pulling out of the parking lot, Javier was thinking furiously.

"Hmmmm that Irish boy is sure pretty, isn't he, Javi?" Carla asked him from the passenger seat, smiling because she knew he wasn’t paying attention..

"Yeah. What? No! Carla," Javier said, frowning at her.

"I'm just saying, _hermano_ \- he's _muy bonitoooo!_ And those tiny shorts outlined every. single. detail!"

"Carla, shut up!" he hissed, his brain suddenly full of the guy - Kevin - in those tight, little, form-fitting perfect black trunks. _Shit_ , he thought.

 

\------------------

 

"So you go to school with that guy?" Kevin asked, trying to seem like he didn't care.

"Javier? No, remember, I go to an all girls high school? I don't know where he goes now, but we were in a lot of the same classes in middle school. That's how I know him," Jenny said, and raised an eyebrow. "Why? Want his number?"

"What? Why would I want his number?"

"Oh you SO DO. I knew it. You totally have the hots for Esposito! Ha ha!"

"Jenny, no, I do NOT. Shut up." he said, turning away so she wouldn’t see him blush bright red. Jenny was definitely right about one thing, that Esposito guy - Javier - he was hot. _Fuck,_ Kevin thought, leaning his forehead against the car window.


	2. The Movie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jenny always wins her bets, and this time Kevin doesn't care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter - sorry. There is much more coming!
> 
> This fic is written by people who know next to nothing about Spanish grammar, and have heavily employed Google Translate. If you know that there's a mistake, please tell us so we can be accurate!  
> Thanks!

Carla: >>yo chica do u nd kevin want to see a movie with me n javier tonight???

Jenny: <<yeah sure!

C: >i think its @ 8  
C: >>u kno that new action thang w brad pitt

J:<<yeah lets go, meet you there at 7:45?

C: >>sweet

 

\----------------------------

"So you wanna go to a movie tonight?" Jenny asked Kevin, who was clicking through channels on the TV.

"Which one," he asked, sounding completely uninterested.

"That new Brad Pitt movie."

"No," he said, looking up at her curiously. Jenny knew he thought Brad Pitt was way overrated.

"I bet you 20 bucks I can convince you to come with me," Jenny said.

"Yeah right."

"I can! Wanna bet?" Jenny jumped down from the chair she was sitting in, and planted herself on the floor in front of Kevin.

"Fine, whatever," Kevin said, his attention turned back to the TV.

"I got two words for you, laddie boy," Jenny said, and Kevin rolled his eyes. "Javier. Esposito."

Kevin was not proud of the way his heart sped up when Jenny said the name, but he kept his outer demeanor cool and collected.

"What about him?"

"Carla is bringing him to the movie, duh." Jenny smiled. "You owe me 20."

"I haven't said you convinced me yet," Kevin said, the remote and TV long forgotten. He was trying to remember if he had 20 dollars cash, because obviously Jenny had won the bet.

As if echoing his thoughts, Jenny said, "Obviously I won the bet. Look at your face right now! You've got it good, boy!"

"Do not. Ugh. What time is the movie?"

"8 o’clock, we're meeting them at the theater. We've got like, 20 minutes til we have to leave," Jenny said, eyes back on her phone.

"JENNY! 20 minutes are you KIDDING ME?" Kevin shouted at her, leaping off the couch and running up the stairs. "I need more time!"

Jenny laughed at him scrambling towards his room. "You have got it BAD!" She shouted up at him.

About 25 minutes later, Kevin had showered, changed clothes 6 times, and had spent the last couple of minutes picking at his hair, Jenny watching from the doorway of the guest room where he was staying.

"Oh my God Kev you look great and smell wonderful and he's already in love with you so stop worrying," she said, amused at her cousin's antics.

"Jenny. I am not worrying. AND he is not in love with me, you better not say anything when we get there." Kevin slid his fingers through his hair for the hundredth time, trying to get it perfect. Jenny stood in between him and the mirror and glared at him.

"Fine, fine, let's go," he said, relenting. They were already running a little late.

 

\--------------------------

Carla stood in the lobby, face in her phone, and Javier paced back in forth in front of her.

"I thought they were meeting us at 7:45?" He asked. Again.

 _"Dios mio,_ Javier, would you STOP," Carla said, putting out a hand to halt his movement. "They will be here soon. Kevin will show up. And he will love you forever and ever amen."

"Carla!" Javier hissed. "That is not - I don't - oh never mind. Just - don't - don't say that shit in front of Kevin."

"Okay, okay, don't have a heart attack, _hermanito,_ " Carla said, waving her long, colorful nails in his face.

"Don't call me that!" Javier told her, and spun around to keep pacing, only to walk straight into Kevin.

Kevin stumbled back, but not before he caught a whiff of whatever cologne Javier was wearing - it was something forresty and cinnamon and so damn hot Kevin's mind went fuzzy for a moment.

" _Mierda!_ I'm so sorry, sorry, - I didn't see - "

"No, don't worry about it man, I'm cool." Kevin rolled his shoulders back, brushing it off like nothing had happened, and stopping himself from asking what 'mierda' meant. Javier took that moment to appreciate said shoulders...and collarbones...and neck...and jaw...and -

 _Stop!_ Javier thought to himself. _Stop STOP stop._

"Hey guys," Jenny said coming up behind her cousin. "Sorry we were a little late. Kevin had to make himself pretty."

"Shut up, Jenny."

"It's fine, it's fine, but go on, get your tickets, _arriba_!" Carla said, pointing them towards the box office. "This thing starts in 5 minutes!"

Eventually they got into the theater, just as the movie screen was asking them to silence their cell phones. Jenny jumped ahead of Javier to sit next to Carla, leaving Javier and Kevin next to each other.

Smooth, Kevin thought, when she turned to wink at him.

The lights dimmed and the opening credits started. Kevin wasn't actually interested in this movie at all, and he had only come (though he'd never admit it) to see Javier again. They had only met yesterday, but there was a sort of tension between them that Kevin was already addicted to. _Damn it._

Javier was having similar thoughts, seated next to Kevin. Damn Carla for bringing him here. Damn her for working with Jenny to make the boys sit together. Damn her for everything, because Kevin looked absolutely amazing, and smelled like rain and something else, and it was making Javier crazy. He wasn't paying any attention to the movie, not that he really wanted to see this anyway - he had only agreed to come with Carla if she invited Kevin. He kept sliding his glance over to his right, where Kevin was, to look at his face outlined in the light from the screen. Kevin, of course, picked that exact moment to sneak a glance and Javier, and their eyes met. Javier sucked in an involuntary breath. _Blue,_ was all he could manage to think..

His initial instinct was to turn away, but Kevin didn't, so he kept looking. It was dark, and all he could see was the outline of Kevin's face, and the way the light from the screen lit up his eyes.

Kevin smiled when Javier didn't turn away, and thought that maybe he wasn't alone in his crazy butterflies feeling when Javier smiled back.

He was suddenly keenly aware of Javier's right arm brushing against his on the armrest. He was warm, and didn't move away. They both relaxed back into their seats, but neither really paid attention to the movie, and neither moved their arm away.

When the credits began to roll, Jenny and Carla stood, but Kevin hesitated. He didn't want to lose the whatever it was that had been happening in the darkened theater. Javier really didn't have a choice, as Jenny began pulling at his arm. He looked down at Kevin almost apologetically, and they left the theater.

"Anybody else hungry?" Carla asked when they were back in the lobby, her arm linked in Jenny's and boys standing awkwardly next to each other, hands in pockets.

"Yeah," Kevin said, and Javier nodded.

"Where to, mon capitan?" Jenny asked, and Carla laughed. They spent about 15 minutes arguing about a restaurant, finally deciding on burgers. They took Javier's car, and when they got there, the girls yet again made it so Javier and Kevin were sitting next to each other. This time, though, Kevin just smiled.

"Kevin. Tell me about you. I don't hardly know anything! Except you're from Ireland, _no?_ " Carla asked, taking a bite out of french fry.

"Uh, well, there's not a whole lot to tell," Kevin said not meeting anyone’s eyes, and it took all of his concentration not to twitch when Javier's foot slid next his, and didn't move away.

"Oh come on, Kev, you're amazing. He's from Ireland, obvi, so he can do the accent really well, and knows all about the U.K. He's really into crime novels and stuff so he knows all about sciencey stuff - "

"Jenny, that's not true - "

" - AND and and he can sing."

"JENNY," Kevin said, gritting his teeth and smacking her arm across the table.

"Well you can," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Ooooo the boy can siiiiing," Carla said, smiling at him. "Show us!"

"What? No. No way." Kevin's eyes flicked over to Javier, who had remained silent.

"Come on, mi amor! I want to hear you siiiiing!"

"Carla..." Kevin started.

"Come on, Kevin! Sing!" Jenny joined in.

"Guys, seriously stop." Kevin's face was getting red, and he glancing around at all the people in the restaurant with them.

"Ladies, leave the man alone," Javier finally said, surprising himself and Kevin.

The girls pouted, and eventually got off on another conversation. Softly, so they wouldn't hear, Kevin leaned over slightly and whispered to Javier.

"Hey, thanks man."

Javier's lip twitched upwards. "Sure," he said softly.

\--------------------

Before they left the burger place that night, Javier and Kevin exchanged numbers, awkwardly. 'Adorable,' Jenny called it in the car later. Kevin glared at her.

Javier laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking of Kevin's number burning a hole in his phone sitting innocently on his bedside table. He had convinced himself that texting him tonight would be WAY too needy, but his mind would not shut off.

 _Mañana,_ he thought to himself, and watched as the clock slowly drifted on.


	3. The Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [They were frozen, staring at each other, inches apart.]
> 
> Or, what we've all been waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is written by people who know next to nothing about Spanish grammar, and have heavily employed Google Translate. If you know that there's a mistake, please tell us so we can be accurate!  
> Thanks!

K: >> hey man I don't think I spelled your name right in my phone

 

J: << Javier. i kno its hard for you white folk to get it

 

K: >> well you may have the cool names but do you have pots of gold?

 

J: << aztec gold

 

K: >> that doesn't count

 

J: << why the hell not

 

K: >> are you Aztec

 

J: << yes i am an aztec god didnt i give you my card

 

K: >> nope, I missed out on that one

 

J: << i'll get you next time

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

 

J: >> carla is about  tomake me crazy i need a dude to talk to

 

K: << haha, too much estrogen?

 

J: >> unless you have a sister, you dont understand

 

K: << I don't it's just me

 

J: >> well let me tell you when its her 'time' shes frikin crazy

 

K: << haha I bet

K: << no offense she's kinda crazy normally

 

J: >> thank you. im not alone

 

K: <<definitely not

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

  
  


K: >> how late is Jerry's open, Jenny doesn't remember

 

J: << 10 on weekdays, 11 weekends

 

K: >> thanks man

 

J: << de nada

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

 

J: >> so carla tells me youre coming over tonight to watch princess diaries

 

K: << kill me now. Jenny guilt tripped me into it

 

J: >> well ive got a ps3 in my room, we could ditch them

 

K: << you're my savior

K: << see you in like an hour

 

J: >> cool man

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

  
  


J: >> please tell me you are watchin this game

 

K: << you're kidding right of course i'm watching this game it's amazing

 

J: >> did you see that shot man

 

K: << shit

 

J: >> for real i can't believe that just happened

 

K: >> better believe it, they've got it in the bag

 

J: >> no way just wait, i'll bet you 20 they turn it around

 

K: >> you're so on

  
  
  
  
  


J: >> i shoulda bet you money son! i was so right

 

K: << fine fine i'll buy you lunch or something

 

J: >> $20 lunch damn i'm expensive

 

K: >> guess so

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

  
  


K: >> hey you busy man

 

J: << nah why

 

K: >> Frisbee on the beach?

 

J: << hell yes i am so there, yo

  
  


\------------------------------------------------------------

  
  
  


They had seen each other a few times since that first day, but always with Carla and Jenny. This was the first time they were alone. They had been exchanging texts as well, but nothing serious. Kevin was nervous, so he kept throwing the Frisbee off-balance. Javier was paranoid, so he kept saying it was his fault - a bad catch. Eventually, they began walking down the beach, pretending to be interested in the sea shells half-buried in the sand. Once in a while, one of them would tap the other on the arm or shoulder and point out something - a boat, a cloud, a cool shell.

 

Kevin suddenly stopped and sat down in the sand.

 

"What are you doin, man?" Javier asked, and stopped walking.

 

"The sun is going down," Kevin said, and Javier turned out towards the ocean where Kevin was looking. The clouds were turning pink, and the sun was dipping lower towards the water. Javier sat down next to Kevin, close enough to touch. Kevin held his breath, until Javier stretched his legs out next to him and their calves touched. It was comfortable, and neither of them moved away.

 

They talked about their families, and schools, and the beach, and occasionally commented on the color of the sky. They were always touching somehow, and it was so natural Javier didn't comment on it - Kevin kept silent as well.

 

"What's this from?" Kevin asked, grabbing Javier's hand and pointing out a long scar going down his thumb.

 

"Me bein' stupid. What is the one thing they always tell you not to do in elementary school?"

 

"Uh, don't eat the glue?” Kevin grinned.

 

"Close," Javier said, smiling. Kevin was still loosely holding his palm, absentmindedly stroking a finger down the scar. "Don't run with scissors."

 

"Oh my God, you're that kid. The one that made the rest of paranoid of scissors," Kevin laughed.

 

"Yeah, that's me. I had 14 stitches."

 

"Geez, man."

 

"Yeah. It kinda came out cool, though. And some girls think scars are hot," Javier said, taking his hand back.

 

"Not only girls," Kevin said, under his breath.

 

"What?" Javier asked.

 

"What? Nothing," Kevin said, hoping his cheeks didn't turn pink. "It's gonna get dark, we should start heading back."

 

"Oh," Javier said, and he sounded almost disappointed.

 

"Well," Kevin said quickly, "We can at least wait til the sun goes all the way down."

 

"Sure," Javier said, leaning back into the sand. Kevin leaned back too, and their hands brushed. Neither moved away.

  
  


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It became almost a daily ritual, the two of them met on the beach and threw a Frisbee and walked together, talking. Sometimes they'd meet when the sun was going down, and sometimes it would be later. Javier had a glow-in-the-dark Frisbee, so once in awhile they would meet when it was dark. They always ended up talking, though, and they were extremely comfortable touching each other. They always greeted one another with a short embrace, which seemed to lengthen over time. Their arms, hands, legs, shoulders would lean into each other, and it was so easy and natural, never awkward. It was a sort of unspoken agreement that they never mentioned it or talked about it. They met each other almost without thinking about it, like their bodies were magnetic.

 

The summer passed lazily onwards, day after day. It was now mid-July, and there were only a dozen or so days in the past five weeks where the two of them hadn't seen each other. Each day, it was getting easier and easier to be around Javier, and harder and harder for Kevin to resist fulfilling the tempting daydreams in his head - like grabbing Javier's hand as they walked along the shore. Tackling Javier into the sand and tasting his smile. Pushing him up against the side of the car before they drove off their separate ways.

 

Kevin didn't know if he was the only one having fantasies, and didn't know how to bring it up. He didn’t even know if Javier liked boys. Javier wasn't unresponsive to his physical familiarity, and in fact seemed to position himself close enough to Kevin so that they were always touching somehow. There had been a few times, during a break in conversation, where it would seem like Javier was about to say something, but he never did - always changing the subject and going off to a different conversation. It was driving Kevin insane.

 

Today, they were walking along, combing the sand for shells. Javier was stringing together a necklace for his sister, and was extremely particular about the shells he would use. It was taking a long time to get enough of the right shape and color, but Kevin didn't mind the excuse to be around Javier. Besides, he liked the fact that Javier had such attention to detail, and thought it was cute he such a heart for his elder sibling.

 

"Here's one, I think - is this the right color?" Kevin asked, holding up another shell.

 

Javier took it into his hands and turned it over, frowning in concentration.

 

"Yeah, I think this'll work. Thanks," he said, and smiled at Kevin. They continued walking, slowly, eyes on the ground, searching for more.

 

"I used to make these things for my girlfriends. Not that I had a lot, I mean I had more than one but that made it sound like - " Javier's words stuttered to a stop and Kevin laughed.

 

"Relax, man, I didn't immediately think that you had a load of girlfriends," Kevin said, bumping Javier's shoulder as they walked. "But, uh, how many have you had?"

 

Javier turned his head to glance at Kevin. "I've officially had 6, but that's only if you count Madison Baker and Sara Burns, who were both in elementary school and didn't even last all the way through recess. It was rough."

 

Kevin laughed again, and a smile spread across Javier's face without him realizing it. He loved hearing Kevin laugh.

 

"How about you?" He asked, and bumped his shoulder into Kevin's.

 

"Well, I too had a whirlwind elementary school affair with one Maria Johnson, and then another girl in middle school - Amy. And, well..." Kevin stopped.

 

"Well what?"

 

"Well, I've kinda...well, I - "

 

"Kev, what?" Javier stopped, suddenly serious.

 

Kevin sighed, but his mouth turned up at Javier using his shortened nickname, and he stopped as well. "Okay, well - well I've also had a boyfriend. In fact that's all I really want to have - uh, boyfriends, that is - not that I want a lot, I just - "

 

"Yo, chill. You like boys, I get it," Javier interrupted, and smiled at him. Kevin's heart warmed and sped up, not realizing until now how scared he had been of telling Javier that. He hadn't even flinched.

 

"What happened? With the guy?" Javier asked, and Kevin took a moment to respond.

 

"Shit, sorry, I mean you don't have to tell me, I was just wondering - " Javier started, but stopped when Kevin smiled.

 

"No, it's cool. He uh, well. His name was Bobby. It was wonderful until 7 months in I caught him with one of his ex girlfriends in my car."

 

"What?! In YOUR car?"

 

"Yeah, I know, it's pretty bad. Siobhan - my friend back home - told me afterwards that it had been going on for like, 4 months. A good half of our relationship. I don't know how I didn't figure it out sooner."

 

Javier clapped him lightly on the shoulder, his hand resting there for a moment. "I'm sorry, Kevin. That's terrible."

 

"Yeah, well. It happened, it's done," Kevin said, clearing his throat and his thoughts of his past. "What about you? How come none of your girlfriends worked out?"

 

"Well, I mean, in elementary school it was because I pulled on her hair - "

 

"You know what I mean, Javier," Kevin said, leaning down to pick up a shell. Javier tried - he really did - not to look at Kevin's ass, but it was just THERE, and -

 

"Here," Kevin said, straightening up and handing over the shell. Javier pocketed it without even looking at it.

 

"Okay, okay, the first girl was a mistake, she was a train wreck and we only dated for 2 weeks. Then came Lanie, and we just didn't feel it after a while - she's actually still one of my best friends."

 

"That's cool," Kevin said. "It's hard to stay friends with an ex."

 

"Yeah," Javier nodded, "but we make it work."

 

"And?"

 

"And what?"

 

"Come on, there's one more girl. I counted." Kevin looked over at him, waiting. When Javier didn't respond, he spoke again. "You don't really have to tell me if you don't want to."

 

"No, it's not - I do want to tell you." Javier sighed. "Her name was Rose. She and I dated for like, 4 months, but I was in lo - well, I cared about her a lot. She turned out to be not exactly what I was expecting. She was a different person by the end."

 

"I'm sorry man," Kevin said softly, suddenly upset at the hurt look in Javier’s eyes.

 

Javier bent down to look at another shell, and Kevin paused, thinking. Well, it's now or never, he thought, deciding that he might as well go all the way while he was on a roll.

 

"So, uh, Javier."

 

"Yeah?" He said, as he straightened up, tossing the shell away.

 

"I was gonna ask you something," Kevin started, his heart in his throat. His pulse quickened, and he immediateness regretted even starting in on this conversation. Just because Javier was cool with Kevin liking boys didn't mean that he'd be cool with Kevin liking HIM.

 

"Okay, what's up?"

 

"Uh, you know what? I forgot. Never mind." Kevin bailed, starting to panic. There was no way he could talk about this.

 

"Yo, what's wrong with you?" Javier asked, putting out a hand to stop him. His palm was pleasantly warm on Kevin's chest, and he tried to ignore it. Tried.

 

"Nothing, man, forget it."

 

"Bro, why are you being weird? Since when do you not tell me what's on your mind?"

 

Kevin sighed. "Forget it, okay?" He pushed Javier's hand away and kept walking, not looking for shells anymore.

 

"Kevin," Javier said from behind him. Kevin didn't respond.

 

"Kevin!" Javier said again, and abruptly, Kevin turned towards him.

 

He hadn't realized that Javier had followed him, and was so close that when Kevin turned, Javier lost his balance, reaching out for something to steady himself. Kevin grabbed his arm, but Javier was already falling towards the sand, now dragging Kevin down with him. Kevin shouted as they fell together, and then they were both still.

 

Kevin had landed on top of Javier's chest, just like when they met. His hands were on either side of Javier's head, and the shells that they had collected were scattered in the sand around them. Javier, without thinking about it, grabbed Kevin's wrists, and then became very aware of the motion, remembering that first day on the beach. They were frozen, staring at eachother, inches apart.

 

"Kev?" Javier asked, brow furrowed in question. Javier was ignoring the heat that covered his cheeks, hoping that he wasn't blushing. Kevin's proximity was making him think too much - he was close enough that they were breathing the same air, close enough to taste -

 

"Yeah?" Kevin answered him, his voice a ragged whisper. Javier looked into deep blue eyes, but Kevin's attention was somewhere else. When Javier realized Kevin's gaze was trained on his lips, his heart skipped a beat.

 

"What were you gonna ask me?" Javier asked softly.

 

"Nothing," Kevin said, too quickly.

 

"Are you - what are you thinking?" He tried again, swallowing nervously.

 

"Nothing," Kevin said again. There was a moment of silence, just the rushing of the waves next to them.

 

"Do you want to kiss me?" Javier asked, almost a whisper.

 

Kevin's eyes darted up to Javier's, widening when he realized what he had just asked.

 

"What?" Kevin asked, disbelieving, and absentmindedly licked his lips. Javier stared at the gleam of moisture on Kevin's bottom lip, imagining what it would feel like.

 

"Do you. Want. To kiss. Me," Javier repeated, his voice huskier than normal.

 

"Do you want me to?" Kevin asked, terrified of the answer.

 

"Maybe a little," Javier said, smirking.

 

"Wait, really?" Kevin asked, his lips curving upwards.

 

"Maybe a lot," Javier said, and lifted his head up slightly.

 

Kevin met him halfway with warm enthusiasm. Both of them had kissed plenty of people, and were both pretty good at it, but neither were prepared for this kiss.

 

Javier was warm and sweet, his lips sliding against Kevin's with practiced ease. Warmth began spreading through Kevin's arms, neck, spine - everywhere, his heart pounding in his ears.

 

Kevin tasted hot and salty, softer than Javier expected. He tightened his grip slightly on Kevin's wrists, not expecting the immediate response in other parts of his body to just a little kiss.

 

They held out as long as they could, savoring the sensation, before coming up to breathe. Javier broke them apart first, his head falling back into the sand.

 

"How - " Kevin started, then paused to catch his breath. "How long have - do you - "

 

"Man, I knew I wanted to do that since the first time you landed on me," Javier answered the unasked question.

 

Kevin grinned. "Me too," he said. "Why haven't you?"

 

"I don't know. Now I can't think of a single reason that's good enough to put that off." Javier leaned up again, nibbling at Kevin's bottom lip and extracting a soft noise from him that Kevin had not been expecting to make.

 

"Javier - "

 

"Javi," Javier said. "You call me Javi."

 

Kevin's smile widened again. "Javi. Okay." And they kissed again. And again.

 

The sun went down without them noticing, and it was ridiculous trying to find all the forgotten shells in the sand in the dark, especially when they kept getting distracted. Javier found out quickly that Kevin liked having fingers run through his hair, and Kevin discovered Javier's weakness for kisses on the neck.

 

When they finally made it back to the parking lot, Kevin finally made one of the fantasies come true - pushing Javier up against his car and pressing their lips together in a needy, hot kiss. Javier eventually turned the tables and had Kevin pressed up against the door, hands buried in his hair, and Kevin found that he liked this version even better.

 

When they left, they didn't say goodbye.

 

"Tomorrow," Kevin said, unlocking his car.

 

 _"Mañana,"_ Javier confirmed, settling into his own car.

  
Driving home that night, Javier couldn't wipe a stupid grin off his face to save his life.


End file.
